The Mighty Storm (33 page)

“
So how did you know what room I was in?” I ask, releasing myself from Will
’
s hold, but he keeps his arm around my waist, keeping me close.

Will answers, “Well, we wanted it to be a surprise, and we figured you
’
d be up on the top floor, so we asked the security guy who was out by the main door guarding it, I
’
m guessing Jake
’
s security people
–
who looked none too pleased to see us up here might I add, but then we told him we were looking for you, that we
’
d come to surprise you and he showed us to your room.”

It worked I was surprised. And so completely screwed. Literally and figuratively.

“
Good thinking.” I force a smile. “So when did you decide on this?” My voice is wobbling all over the place.

I need to get them out of here, just long enough so I can get Jake out of the bathroom. It
’
s the only current working thought in my mind.

“
A few days ago.” Will leaves my side and sits down on the sofa.

Crap, he
’
s getting comfortable.

I stay where I am. I can
’
t seem to stand still. I
‘
m practically hopping from one foot to the other.

I wrap my arms across my chest.

Simone keeps flickering glances my way, but I can
’
t bring myself to look at her. The shame is burning up my face.

“
I knew you were stressed about the whole Jake affair article,” Will says.

I nearly choke on my own spit, quickly turning it into a cough, I cover my traitorous mouth with my hand.

Will doesn
’
t seem to notice and continues on regardless, “And I know today is the last day of the tour so I thought I would come out and watch the gig
–
if that
’
s okay with Jake and the guys obviously.”

“
I-I
’
m sure it will be.” My voice is so squeaky.

This is just getting worse and worse.

“
So well, I called up Simone to see if she fancied coming too, and here we are.”

He was being thoughtful. And I was sleeping with Jake.

I
’
m going to Hell. Straight to Hell.

“
I got us seats on the same flight back as yours tomorrow night so we can all fly home together,” he adds, smiling.

“
Sounds wonderful.” I force a smile. “So I bet you guys must be starving,” my voice lifts. “Why don
’
t you go downstairs and get some breakfast, the food here is amazing. I
’
ll just get dressed and I
’
ll meet you down there in ten.”

“
Yeah, I could do with something,” Will says, putting his hand to his stomach. “But we
’
ll wait for you, darling … go get changed.” He tips his head in the direction of the bedroom door.

“
I need to shower.”

“
It
’
s fine we
’
ll wait.”

I flick a
‘
help me
’
glance at Simone.

“
We
’
ll be waiting bloody ages Will, you know what
’
s she
’
s like and I
’
m starving. Let
’
s go down now and get a table, and Tru can join us once she
’
s ready.”

“
Okay,” Will says hesitantly.

He gets to his feet and comes over to me, tipping my chin up with his thumb and forefinger, he plants a kiss firmly on my lips.

“
We
’
ll see you down there, and don
’
t be long. I
’
ve been away from you too much already.”

“
I
’
ll be ten minutes max.”

Simone squeezes my hand on the way past. I almost break down on the spot.

I wait until I hear the door close behind them before I move.

I go into the bedroom, and slowly open the bathroom door.

Jake is sitting on the edge of the bath, dressed in his clothes, and he doesn
’
t look happy. But then I didn
’
t expect he would be.

“
I
’
m so sorry…” I start, but he cuts me off.

“
Did you know he was coming?”

“
No.” I look at him surprised.

He gives me a look of disbelief.

“
Seriously, as if I
’
d have you here in my bed if I knew he was coming.”

He stares at me for a long moment. My stomach is knotted and my body wired. I can
’
t stop fidgeting.

I go over to him, kneeling down between his legs. “I am so very sorry.”

“
Why did you make me hide in here?”

I give him a puzzled look. “Because I didn
’
t want him to walk in and find you in my bed.”

He narrows his gaze at me. I feel hot and uncomfortable under it.

“
So you
’
re not going to tell him about us?”

“
What? Yes, of course I am.”

I think. Maybe. I don
’
t know.

“
So go tell him.” He gestures towards the door with his hand. “You know where he is. Go tell him now. I
’
ll wait here for you.”

“
Jake…” I get up off the floor, sitting on the toilet. “He
’
s flown all this way to see me. I can
’
t just go and tell him about you and me ten minutes after he
’
s arrived.”

“
You promised me last night that you would tell him. He
’
s here now so what better opportunity is there. You didn
’
t want to tell him on the phone
–
well now you don
’
t have to.”

I run my hands through my hair and blow out a breath. “Be reasonable, Jake.”

“
I think I
’
ve been pretty reasonable overall, and patient. So very fuckin
’
patient, but it
’
s wearing thin.”

I look down at my toes.

He sighs loudly, then gets up and storms out of the bathroom.

I
’
m quick to my feet, following after him.

“
Jake, wait,” I call.

He stops just shy of the bedroom door, and turns back to face me. “Will you tell him today or not?”

I let out a light breath, wrapping my arms around myself. “I will tell him, but I can
’
t today,” I shake my head. “Not today. Please try to understand.”

Moving forward, I reach for him, but he shakes his head, no.

The rejection from him hurts more than I ever realised it could.

He walks out of the bedroom heading for the main door.

“
Don
’
t leave like this, please,” I say, desperation in my voice, catching hold of his hand from behind.

He stares down at my hand in his. The look on his face makes me let go.

“
I
’
m not the other guy, Tru.”

“
I know, and I will tell him, I promise you.”

He looks down at the floor. “Are you going to bring him to the show?”

I press my lips together. “I can
’
t go to it and leave him and Simone here.”

“
No. I guess you can
’
t.” His tone is sardonic.

“
Do you not want me to come to the show? I can make up some excuse why
–”

“
No. Bring him to the fuckin
’
show. I don
’
t care.”

Then it
’
s like an like an invisible force field settles down in-between us.

“
I
’
ll do whatever
’
s easiest for you, Jake.”

“
No you won
’
t. Telling him the truth is what would be easiest for me.” He gives me a firm stare.

I look away, ashamed that he
’
s right. Right that I won
’
t tell Will.

“
Just do whatever you want, Tru. I don
’
t give a shit anymore.”

Then he
’
s gone and the door is slamming behind him, and I
’
m left alone, knowing I have to pull myself together and go downstairs to face Will. To act like everything is okay, when it couldn
’
t be any further from okay.

I glance down at the two bracelets on my wrist from the two men I love.

Now I just have to figure out which one I
’
m going to take off.

The show is insanely good.

Jake, Denny and Tom are on top form
–
Jake most of all. It
’
s the last show of the European tour and he is making sure they finish on a high.

I haven
’
t seen Jake since this morning. He
’
s avoiding me for obvious reasons.

I know it
’
s hurting him Will being here, and I hate it. I can
’
t stand the thought of Jake being in pain in general, but when it
’
s because of me it
’
s a thousand times worse.

I wish I could make it better for him. But right now I feel like I
’
m caught between a rock
–
Jake – and a hard place
–
Will.

For a change, I
’
m out front watching the show with Will and Simone. I thought it would be better than stage side for obvious reasons, and Stuart very kindly sorted me out some fantastic seats for the three of us.

We’re seated close to the stage with a clear view of the guys, and well maybe saying seated is wrong because Simone and I haven
’
t sat down since the show started.

It
’
s hard not to fall into the pull of the show, because Jake and the guys are on fire.

I
’
m just glad I wore my floral print cami top and blue denim skirt as it
’
s crazy hot in here tonight.

And I don
’
t think the heat is helping with my wrecking ball nerves, but then I
’
ve been this way all day.

I
’
m trying to keep thoughts of what happened this morning out of my head and to focus on Will, but it
’
s difficult, especially here now looking at Jake, looking so beautiful up on the stage.

Jake finishes up singing one of the new hits,
‘
Pure Thing
’
and slows things down to an easy stop.

The stage darkens. The lights killed.

There
’
s some whistles from the audience, but it
’
s so silent that you could hear the beating heart of a mouse.

I find myself holding my breath along with everyone else.

Then the spotlight hits Jake.

He looks like a God up there. So beautiful with the world at his feet.

Eighty thousand people and not a single sound to be heard. The stadium waiting, breath baited, to hear what will come out of Jake
’
s mouth.

A man with the adoration of the world at his feet, and in this moment I can
’
t exactly figure why he wants me.

Jake steps back from the mike and pulls his cigarettes from out of his back pocket, puts one between his lips, and lights it up.

Blowing the smoke from his mouth, he reaches down and grabs his bottle of beer from the side of his mike stand, taking a long swig from the bottle.

Garnering cheers from the crowd, encouraging him to down the bottle, even Tom is egging him on, so Jake being Jake downs the bottle and tosses it to the ground in front of the stage, as the crowd cheers.

I can tell he’s already been drinking a lot, that
’
s apparent enough.

He takes another drag of his cigarette and steps up to the mike.

The whole stadium is silent, once again, in anticipation of what Jake will say next.

He exhales his smoke as he leans into the mike, and starts to speak, “Okay,” he runs his hand through his hair, looking contemplative. “I know the guys are going to kill me for this … but I
’
m thinking of maybe mixing things up a bit, doing something a little different.” Jake leans back from his mike, looking at Tom with a question on his face, covering his mike with his smoking hand.